"Finishing" a hat blank

[rickevans]

I bought my big broad brimmed hat from a vendor. I have been wearing it for a while to fit to my noggin. My question is, did all 18th century hats have a sewn in sweat band or lining of sorts? How would one go about adding those finishing touches and what materials are correct?

I am a blacksmith (older and turned the shop work over to apprentices and a nephew) in SE Georgia late 18th century period.

Rick

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Cotton or linen lining sewed in at the bottom with a drawstring at the top to adjust to fit.  about 2-2.5 -3 inches wide depending. The sweatband/lining is sort of a suspension system.  I think on the 18th century round blocked hats that was even more important because the felt itself was not shaped to the head like a modern hat.  I have not tried on an original 18th century hat so I am not sure that is the casem but so I am told,  \

Mogan Shea can fill you in he makes very nice hats with handsewn in linings.

[BlackleafHats]

Rick

I truly believe that if it fits your head currently and you like it, you could go with out. In fact, I do a small number of unlined hats a year for people that don't want to spend as much. Two of which will be headed to Dixons Gun Fair next week (two Cocked hats). I will often leave a liner out of a hat if I pull it of the dry board and find a flaw in the felt (a thin spot or color problem etc). Once I get a hat to that point there's no sense in not taking it the rest of the way. I just sell it for less (as what i like to call a "Beater Hat") and mark on the tag what the flaw is.

Remember that if you sew in a liner of cotton or linen that you will loose approximately a quarter inch in size and will have to refit and stretch the hat.

Cheers
Morgan Shea
 

[Artificer]

Dumb question for Morgan,

Did the sewn in liners also do away with the need to have a band on the bottom outside edge of the crown?  Always wondered about that.

Gus

[BlackleafHats]

Dumb question for Morgan,

Did the sewn in liners also do away with the need to have a band on the bottom outside edge of the crown?  Always wondered about that.

Gus

I have seen people do both. I choose not to do it in my hats for two reasons:
1. The historic examples that I have been able to find don't have them.
2. I find that it takes up too much room.

Cheers
Morgan Shea

[rickevans]

Good. This is definately a beater hat. I usually wear a head scarf under it anyway.
Thanks friends.